ZTE Announces Nubia Z5 Phablet

Just after Christmas, Chinese smartphone-maker ZTE has taken stage to announce its foray into the phablet market in the form of the much leaked Nubia Z5. The device is expected to compete in the same space as high-end large-screen contenders, such as the HTC Droid DNA, the Oppo Find 5, and the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S 4.

Like the HTC Droid DNA, the ZTE Nubia Z5 has a gorgeous 5-inch display with a 1080p full HD resolution and comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor. The device also has WiFi, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, 2 GB RAM, 32 GB internal storage, and a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash. Additionally, the ZTE Nubia Z5 also has a massive 3000 mAh battery, which is just 300 mAh shy of the 3300 mAh battery on the Droid RAZR Maxx HD. It’s unclear if the 13-megapixel camera is the same Sony sensor that’s being used on the Find 5.

The device looks to be slim and attractive. In terms of design, the Nubia Z5 looks to be a nice cross between the designs of the HTC Droid DNA and the Oppo Find 5.

The phone will retail for just $555 unlocked in China starting in January. It’s unclear if ZTE has plans to introduce the Nubia Z5 outside of the Chinese market, but the relatively more affordable price tag given the high end specs should definitely attract those looking for a well-priced fully equipped mobile handset.

It looks like 2013 will see the market grow with 5-inch full HD phones and ZTE looks poised to capitalize on that market. In addition to ZTE, we should expect to see offerings from Samsung, LG, Sony, Huawei and others with a large full HD display.

Tech enthusiast in Silicon Valley enjoying the possibilities of ubiquitous connectivity, information sharing, and collaboration enabled by mobile broadband. You can contact Chuong on Twitter @chuongvision or search +chuongvision on Google+.